National Women’s Council of Ireland welcomes the recommendations of the All Party Oireachtas Report
Published: Monday, March 12, 2012
The National Women's Council welcomes the All Party Oireachtas Report on the Single Working Age Payment and the specific inclusion of the needs of women on social welfare. 'The NWCI particularly welcome the recommendation that 'any programme of social welfare reform must be driven by an explicit anti-poverty and gender equality objective' and the statement that the 'Single Working Age payment proposal by the Department of Social Protection cannot safely proceed unless the lack of affordable childcare and after school care is fully addressed,' stated Orla O'Connor Acting CEO NWCI.
The main recommendation of the report calls on the Minister Of Social Protection, Joan Burton T.D. not to proceed with the proposal because the necessary supports and quality jobs are not in place and also that any reform must accommodate the up take of part-time, short term or casual work. 'The NWCI has continually highlighted the need to modernise our welfare system away from a male breadwinner model, currently many women are working part-time and have had their working hours reduced but have no access to social welfare, these recommendations if implemented would advance a more gender inclusive social welfare system,' stated Ms O'Connor.
ends